McCain ads appeared on several Web sites run by Hillary Clinton supporters.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - John McCain's campaign will stop advertising on several pro-Hillary Clinton Web sites that have attacked Barack Obama for being unpatriotic and, in one case, compared the Democratic nominee-in-waiting to Adolf Hitler.

A spokesman for McCain said Monday the campaign was not aware their ads were running on the offending Web sites, and has taken steps to block those sites from their online advertising network.

"When we find stuff like this, we take care of it," said McCain spokesman Brian Rogers.

McCain has made it known he is reaching out to former Clinton supporters, and there are nearly two hundred well-trafficked blogs and online communities run by former Clinton supporters who refuse to support Obama. But the three sites on which McCain's ads appeared are particularly hostile to the Illinois senator.

One Web site, called Stop-Obama.org, is a group blog comprised of disaffected Clinton supporters, some of whom are now supporting McCain. Three different banners ads, one of which featured McCain standing side-by-side with Sen. Joseph Lieberman, were running on the site until Monday.

A recent post on the blog outlined the "simple parallels" between Obama and Hitler, and accused Obama's audiences of having the same cult mentality that characterized followers of the German dictator.

McCain's ads have also shown up on a pro-Clinton Web site named "Obama WTF" that accuses Obama of being "spineless," having "communist influences," "courting Jew haters" and being "in the pocket of America haters."

SavagePolitics.com, another anti-Obama site that has been targeted with McCain ads, has called Obama a "bold faced liar, a thief, a sexist and a racist."

The McCain campaign pulled the ads Monday evening after they were pointed out by CNN.

Rogers said the campaign often has no control over where their ads show up on the Web. That’s because the campaign uses a third party vendor - in this case, Google - to distribute their banner ads across a broad array of political Web sites by searching for certain key words.

When the campaign is made aware of ads appearing on offensive or irrelevant Web sites, Rogers said, they notify the ad distributor and have the sites added to a list of blocked URLs. He noted the McCain campaign has already blocked "tens of thousands" of such sites.

It's not the first time a campaign has been forced to remove ads from controversial Web sites.

Mitt Romney's campaign found itself in the politically awkward position of advertising on the Web site Gay.com in late 2007, prompting the Web site to pull the ad shortly after it was discovered.

Last September, Barack Obama's campaign removed a campaign advertisement that appeared on the Amazon.com page for the controversial book "The Israel Lobby," which asserts that a network of influential pro-Israel activists hold undue sway over U.S. foreign policy.

soundoff(231 Responses)

That is a gracious move on McCain's part but McCain needs to check himself regarding offensive remarks. McCain fundraiser statement about Hamas supporting Obama was completely out of line.

Clark's statement about McCain military service was nothing compared to what McCain suggested about Hamas's support for Obama.

July 1, 2008 01:12 pm at 1:12 pm |

ron

hey Sean from Canada
you are quoting from McCain's strategy not obama, he wanted to pull them out unconditionally as soon as he got into office within 16 months. of course like every thing else about him it's borrowed strategy just like the ones he took from Clinton. now tell me this when he pulls the troops out and al-qaeda returns and he sends the troops back in what will you Canadians do with the deserters who won't go back give them refuge like you do now. how do you work that out, one American deserter allowed for every Canadian killed fighting in Afghanistan

July 1, 2008 01:13 pm at 1:13 pm |

Rudy NYC

I can understand why someone would dislike one candidate or prefer one over another. But, why the hatred? What;s up with that?

July 1, 2008 01:13 pm at 1:13 pm |

Michelle

I love how some of the Clinton supporters forget that Obama got 17,869,542 votes in the primaries. Although I don't agree, I do understand the feelings about Florida and Michigan. But be pissed off at your state legislator for breaking the rules. The DNC and Obama did not make Michigan or Florida move up there primaries.

Democrats Unite!

July 1, 2008 01:18 pm at 1:18 pm |

notfollowingthepiedpiper

ML:

The problem with reading BO's policies is that they are "just words".

He has NEVER done anything while in office....mostly because his current office was nothing more than a VERY temporary stepping stone to his next audatious move. He has NO track record of backing up any of his promises. He is a puppet, saying whatever is necessarry to cater to the current direction the wind is blowing. For those of you who are voting for him ONLY because he promises to bring the troops out of Iraq, don't hold your breath. He's already started to waffle big time on that. This election is about a complex web of issues. You'd better base your vote on proven track record instead of a list of promises.

Just let him sit there in his flip-flops and finish his waffle. Then he'll get right back to serving up another hearty portion of "just words".

July 1, 2008 01:21 pm at 1:21 pm |

Vig

Hillary Clinton has become the nation's 3rd choice for President when she should have been the nation's 1st choice. Nonetheless, you can still vote her in by printing her name as a write-in candidate on your November ballot. Clinton got skewed and screwed while Obama was the beneficiary of her trash and bash. Thanks to media men who control the news organizations such as CNN, MSNBC, FOX NEWS, NBC. we now have an inflated smiley faced Obama that we have to hear all about as if he has now become the authority on everything. Women should be outraged.

July 1, 2008 01:22 pm at 1:22 pm |

Greg

"A recent post on the blog outlined the 'simple parallels' between Obama and Hitler, and accused Obama's audiences of having the same cult mentality that characterized followers of the German dictator."

This is probably the most honest statement made recently regarding Obama and his non-thinking followers. Although "cult mentality" with regard to Obama followers is probably a bit of an understatement.

This OPINION is based entirely on the silliness displayed on CNN by said Obama supporters. The typical post is lacking in any critical thought and usually includes immature name calling such as "McBush" or other nonsense.

July 1, 2008 01:22 pm at 1:22 pm |

WoMeN4McCain

Alice in Florida sounds soooo jealous of Obama getting to do enjoyable things. Is your life that empty? You can get out and do things too if you are healthy enough. Stop sitting in the house and feeling hard toward others.

July 1, 2008 01:23 pm at 1:23 pm |

ron

to independent woman for obama
distort lie and justify is a form of christianity taught by Rev. Wright check it out. the bombing of Iran is being promoted by the obama campaign nobody else drilling wherever there is oil will allow you to keep your family from going without heat and keep the cost of food for your family to an affordable level (ever have a black out in your area because you don't have enough energy think about it) ask the hundreds of thousands of men women an children that saddam Hussein slaughtered, if attacking that regime was or wasn't pro life. as for medicare for children look up the facts before you shoot your mouth off it goes right back to obama's learning of rev wright's teaching distort lie and justify

July 1, 2008 01:27 pm at 1:27 pm |

JB

It's funny how during the primaries Obama supporters were saying that Hillary was so much different from Obama on issues and represented old Washington politics, but now that they want Hillary's supporters to support Obama they are saying that Hillary and Obama political issues are the same. Who do you think you are fooling? Nothing New or Fresh here. Obama = same old Washington politics.

July 1, 2008 01:27 pm at 1:27 pm |

Justin, Ohio

What's really funny is that McCain's political views are more equivalent to Democrats than BO's very left wing, liberal views. Yet Democrats aren't looking at political views, they're looking at race. I hope the country soon opens their eyes to the views than to the race. And for anyone who calls the Republicans racist, who freed the slaves? You'll find Abraham Lincoln (a Republican) did.

July 1, 2008 01:28 pm at 1:28 pm |

Rick

Comparing Obama to Hitler is ridiculous and spiteful. The similarity is that both "inspired a cult-like following"? Why don't we just compare Elvis, or the Beatles, or the Pope, for that matter, to Hitler, for their zealous followers? Highly educated people can see right through the tactics that the republican/conservative smear machine is using– high emotion-evoking terms and comparisons that confuse and warp sensible thought. It is a shame that Americans allow themselves to be manipulated in this way.

July 1, 2008 01:31 pm at 1:31 pm |

Raghu

Gave proof thru the G.E
That our nation's still afraid
O say that star spangled banner
Yet Droops in Dismay
Oer the land of the sheep(in that we blindly follow anything we hear)
And the home of the afraid.

July 1, 2008 01:39 pm at 1:39 pm |

Jedeki

Karl Rove is one of his advisers and he claims he didn't know about these sites? Rove was responsible for smearing McCain in 2000.

July 1, 2008 01:41 pm at 1:41 pm |

Yes we can, PA

Chicosez, just because someone voted for Obama does not make them new to the "party". I'm a lifelong dem like you and made a clear choice for Obama. The reason the Supers went with Obama is because they or their constituents wanted to do so. (Note that not all the Supers went to Obama. Some endorsed Clinton.) The reality is that it was a close primary and Sen. Obama came out on top. And don't even start with MI and FL; we all know that Sen. Clinton suddenly became interestd in those states AFTER Super Tuesday when her campaign showed the first signs of trouble. Stay or leave the "party". It's entirely up to you.

July 1, 2008 01:41 pm at 1:41 pm |

Roofin Reality, Houston, Tx.

Hey Jay from 1pm, you're exactly right. And guess what, Senator Obama himself said he's flawed.
We all are, and there's not one person on earth (yes, there is one in Heaven) who is perfect.

Why doesn't cnn cover some of the disgusting attitudes of the obama supporters on all the blogs and you tube comments, and everywhere else. McCain supporters at least aren't threatning and seem to know more about their candidate. Some of the obama people seem to think their voting for american idol or rooting for a sports team. And their not only arrogant, but rude, and continue to attack hillary supporters. If hillary supporters want to be stupid and beleive what they beleive, let them do it. its called freedom of speech and opinion. why do they blame the mccain campaign?

Also, how about covering how the obama camp is paying people to stand by the computer all day and retort anyones opinion that isn't in favor of obama. Isn't that a little manipulative, and misleading.

Obama is an unbelievable candidate but pretends to be this candidate of change, but behind the scenes he gets his campaign to do all the dirty work.

July 1, 2008 01:46 pm at 1:46 pm |

Nova from NV

Thank you McCain for being a very honorable man! Just be yourself and the American people who have their eyes open will appreciate you.
For once, I have not seen McCain mentioning Rezko. Maybe McCain is too nice to run this campaign.

July 1, 2008 01:51 pm at 1:51 pm |

Lorna, NY

McCain was well aware of this....

July 1, 2008 01:51 pm at 1:51 pm |

McBride, SLC, UT

WAKE UP AMERICA! WHY IS IT NOT OK TO SAY AS A GENERAL IN THE MILITARY, YOU DO NOT THINK THAT BEING SHOT DOWN QUALIFIES YOU TO BE COMMANDER AND CHIEF..... BUT EQUATING OBAMA TO HILTER....THAT IS OK? THIS IS 2004 ALL OVER AGAIN. SENATOR OBAMA HAS IT RIGHT. JOHN MCCAIN IS RUNNING FOR A 3RD BUSH TERM AND HE IS RUNNING HIS CAMPAIGN JUST AS BUSH DID IN 2004. MCCAIN HAS LOST ALL MY RESPECT AND I COULD CARE LESS WHAT HIS WAR HISTORY IS? HE HAS LOST MY RESPECT COMPLETELY. COME ON MEDIA, START TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUES. WE AS AMERICANS DESERVE MORE THAN THIS. SHAME ON YOU !

July 1, 2008 01:53 pm at 1:53 pm |

Anita from Arizona

If you basing your vote on these smear campaigns on both sides. DON'T VOTE!! Save the election for the ones who do the research on the issues so we can fix the mess this country's in. What are we, a bunch of kids???

July 1, 2008 01:54 pm at 1:54 pm |

Republicans 1st

George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt,...George W Bush(ahem)..., and now his disciple John McCain. Truly the greatest leaders to ever grace the halls of the White House.
If you don't believe that your candidate belongs on this list don't waste your vote. Elect a smart leader that could make it onto this list.
Vote wisely USA!

July 1, 2008 01:54 pm at 1:54 pm |

Josh

Shame on you McCain, for having your ads run on these shameful websites. You knew about it all along.

July 1, 2008 01:55 pm at 1:55 pm |

sarah

to all of the hillary or noone crew: shut up and sit down, everyone is tired of your blab, do what you feel you must and stop yelping about it.
to all of the obnoxious obama herd: shut up and sit down, everyone is tired of your endless arrogance, your slander, and your name calling.
we the people are free to vote for whomever we choose. we choose based on beliefs, ethics, judgement, character, honor, integrity, and whether we think this person will be the best for the job. if we do not support obama it is not because we are racist, stupid, or uneducated. if we dont support clinton it isnt because we are arrogant, elitist, sexists. we support the candidate we believe in and we will not change our minds just because you called us names again. in fact the more names you call us the less we like your candidate.